• In Assignment 2, using the same company from Assignment 1, you will focus on the company’s mission, introduction, and branding. Note: You may create and /or make all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of this assignment. Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you: 1. Develop a branding strategy for your product that covers the brand name, logo, slogan, and at least one (1) brand extension. 2. Assemble a marketing strategy for your product, and determine an appropriate time table to implement your plan). Provide a rationale for your response. 3. Prepare a positioning statement. Include a perceptual map that shows your company's position against its competitors. From this map, create a statement that depicts your position. For example, “Our product is the fastest in its class for half the price.” Note: See pp. 54 - 55 in the textbook for examples of perceptual maps. You may use Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or other equivalent software to create your perceptual map. 4. Examine the relevant consumer behavior for your target market. Explain the main reasons why the brand name, logo, slogan, brand extension, as well as the positioning statement and marketing strategy are right for the identified target market. 5. Develop your company's mission statement and company introduction. 6. Use at least three (3) academic resources as quantitative marketing research to determine the feasibility of your product / service. These resources should be industry specific and relate to your chosen product / service. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: • • Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: • • • • • • • • Analyze the marketing framework including the concepts of the 5Cs, STP, and 4Ps. Examine the marketing science of customer behavior and products in the marketing exchange process and create dynamic strategies for competing. Evaluate the basis for market segmentation and approaches to segmentation. Evaluate target customer segments and positioning products within these segments. Examine the marketing science of customer behavior and products in the marketing exchange process and create dynamic strategies for competing. Develop branding strategies for existing and new products. Use technology and information resources to research issues in marketing management. Write clearly and concisely about marketing management using proper writing mechanics. Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric found Michael Walker MKT500 10/30/2017 Prof McLaughlin Walker Tech Inc. Walker Tech Inc. (WTI), l is a small scale IT firm that specializes in the production of Custom IT Business products such as accounting packages for its customers located in various states in the US. The company headquarters is located in Atlanta, GA but it has several outlets which are evenly spread within the country. In respect to Meyer argument, some of the competitors that pose significant challenges to WTI market share include huge corporations such as Citrix systems, Canopy Innovations, Blue Talon, GTB technologies, and HP Enterprise Security Products. Equally, the company faces competition from small IT business companies such as Nobscot, Observe IT and Out Start Inc. To overcome the stiff competition posed by these companies, WTI has adopted strategies such as providing quality products, conducting aggressive marketing and ensuring that it utilizes practices such as corporate social responsibility which in the past have proved to have great appeal to the public. Like other IT firms, WTI is regulated by federal and states laws regarding data and IT companies. Precisely, the company is governed by laws that deal with confidentiality and integrity of end user’s information. For instance, when producing its products, the company is required to adhere to the FISMA law of 2002 with aims at combating cybersecurity issues. The company is also regulated by software licensing regulations and electronic signature laws. The United States is one of the most developed democracies and peaceful countries globally. Equally, the Federal and State governments have adopted several strategies that provide an enabling environment for business entities in the country. For instance, reduced taxation for small owned business, well-developed infrastructures, adequately developed social systems, security among others are leading factors that provide investors with a conducive environment for establishing and running their business. With over six million people Atlanta is the ninth largest city in the country. Because of this economic growth is experienced in various industrial sectors. Mainly, regarding IT sector, the US economy has in the past registered significant increase through contributions of the IT sector. With well-established organizations such as Apple, Dell, Compaq, Cisco, and HP among others whose products and services have high reputation globally, the IT sector in the US has continued to be a force in the globe to reckon with (Cateora, 2014). Equally, heavy government investments in promoting IT technology in the country is among the factors that have seen the American IT industry become a significant force. Metro Atlanta is made up of 68% of white and around 30% blacks. However, it is increasingly international, which is among the fourth largest in the country. Almost 65% of this region is Protestant Christianity. Walker Tech firm targets small and medium scale business organizations within the US as its primary markets. Medium and Small business entities in the US make over 45% of the total enterprises (Kaiser & Schreier, 2014). This market segment will be the primary source of the company revenue. The company will conduct aggressive marketing using various media channels such as social media, magazines, and the company website. Equally, prices charged for the company services will be aligned to the complexity of the system required by the customer. Remarkably, the needs of my target primary market may differ from one company to another. Therefore, WTI management will have the responsibility of hiring competent and adequate resources that can address the varying needs of such customers. Among the product and services that WTI develops include human resource management applications, financial management applications, and inventory management apps among other others. Regarding secondary markets, WTI targets individuals or group of people who run a sole proprietorship or partnership businesses. Like in primary markets, the company specializes in production of customer products that are aligned to their specific needs. Prices charged, for the company products are aligned to the different needs of the client company’s also. For instance, business organizations that need complex IT services are charged relatively higher as compared to a simple application required by another agency. Similarly, factors such as shipping cost of the products to client premises, taxes charged by the government also compound to the total prices charged for the products. To ensure that clients are informed of introduction of company products, WTI has adopted various means of promoting its products, and this includes using media such as televisions, radios, company website and social media. Remarkably, the company offers its products and services physically and through electronic means using models such as E-commerce. Competition in the business IT solutions industry has soared in the recent past. Remarkably, the company faces competition from both seasoned enterprises such as Centrix systems, canopy innovations, blue talon and new entrants such as Nobscot, observe IT and Out Start Inc among others. To ensure that the company can wither this increased competition, WTI will produce quality products and provide outstanding services and conducting aggressive marketing is basic. WTI will use this strategy the company will divide its target market into two segments, i.e., huge corporations, medium and small ones. After which information regarding company products will be crafted with associated demonstrations. This will be followed by an aggressive marketing using media channels such as television, company website, and social media. Equally, to ensure that the company can wither the increased competition the company will have to consider partnering with reputable companies such as Flok Inc. This will provide it with an opportunity of riding on its strength. Finally, over the past years, customers have exhibited a behavior of purchasing products that are inclined to their specific needs, ones that are cost friendly and those that have additional features. Therefore, to acquire more business, WTI will specifically seek orders and produce products after the customer has provided the required specification. Similarly, charging different prices as per the specifications provided as opposed to charging uniform prices for the products as done by rivals such as canopy systems will serve as a strategy for attracting and retaining more customers. WTI short-term business goal is to increase its market share by 5% in the next year as well increase its outlets to 10. To achieve this goal the company will employ methods such as aggressive marketing a, developing quality products and adopting business strategies such as mergers. In respect to long-term goals, the company aspires to increase its market share by 7% in the next five years and equally reduce employee turnover by 4 and above percentage. To achieve these goals the company will use metrics such as web analytics to track flow of traffic to the company websites. Specifically, the company will install applications such as Net flow analyzer- which can track the movement of traffic to the site. Equally, the company will evaluate its growth rate regarding revenues recorded on quarterly basis. This will help indicate how well company is moving towards realizing its goals of increased market share. Finally, the company will use social media and messages by customers to evaluate the value that customers attach to the company products. Such information will similarly be central in producing products that are aligned with the needs of the target primary and secondary markets. Among the primary advantage of WTI Inc, is a reputation that it has created as a leading small scaled organization in production of custom, efficient IT solutions for its clients. Despite, being in operation for a few years, the company has been able to attract a significant market share in the Atlanta Metropolitan IT industry. Therefore, building on this strength provides the company with ground for advancing further and competing favorably with rival companies. WalkerTech Inc. is privy of the significant role that competent human resource has to an organization. Atlanta Metro is one of the national leaders in attracting college-educated 25-34year-olds, according to the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. In the city, 39.9 percent of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree compared to the national average of 27%. The net impact of such a practice has led to production of quality products. Additionally, this has served to earn the company a significant command of the market. Walker Tech Inc. commands a significant capital resource as compared to other IT companies of its stand. This way the company has been able to expand its operation and opened new branches nationally. Ability to produce products and offer outstanding services that are aligned to specific needs of the clients has been a force that will lead WTI to increase its market share significantly. Based on the fact that each company has its own dynamic needs, being able to produce products that appropriately address these needs is among the strengths that give WTI an edge over its rivals. Despite the above strengths, WTI has its share of weaknesses. Firstly, the company’s structure employed by the organization is unable to support the increasing number of clients. In fact, at times the system breaks down- the fact that results to denial of services which is an irritating experience to customers directly impacting client retention. Secondly, use of obsolete software in some of the company outlets leads to poor quality of services. Thirdly, outsourcing of experts such as programmers who work on contract basis has occasionally led them to turn into competitors of the company. Finally, the organization has not adopted adequate measures to protect its IT infrastructure. For example, there are no high securities measures that have been embraced by the agency to protect its sensitive information as it moves across the distributed system to the main server at the organization headquarter. This jeopardizes the integrity and confidentiality of the organization and customer’s sensitive information. With an increase in the number of business organizations that are moving from the use of manual systems to automated systems, the demand for the company products is likely to continue increasing in the future. Secondly, by adopting a common platform, the organization will be able to expand its IT services to its new branches without incurring additional cost. This is anchored on the fact that the new branches will ride on the already existing IT infrastructure. Thirdly, adoption of the wireless infrastructure provides the organization with an opportunity of reaching clients who are not served with the wired IT infrastructure. The company will expand its market share and consequently revenue. Finally, by partnering with reputable companies such as cloud IT systems, WTI will be able to ride on in its strengths such as a relatively expansive market share, with seasoned staff among other advantages. Several threats threaten the operations of Walker Tech Inc. To begin with, entry of new plays such as Nobscot and Observe IT has seen the level of competition in the market increase (Kaiser & Schreier, 2014). As such, WTI has to use more resources in conducting marketing activities overcome the souring competition. Secondly, the emergence of cloud competing technology-whereby organization access IT infrastructure and apps from services providers may negatively impact growth in the future should we neglect innovative opportunities. Thirdly, adoption of outsourcing strategy provides room for emergence of potential competitors which may lead to increased competition. Finally, with new laws coming into place to regulate the IT business environment in the US, some of the laws adopted by the organizations impact the operations of the company. 
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